Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-26
HARLAN'S DEATH.
Commencement of the In
teresting Examination.
PARTICULARS OF THE FINDING
OF the Body in the Ruins of the
Burned Barn at
Compton.

Woolsteen on the charge OF numbering
DR.. Harlan would take place in JUS
tice Austin's courtroom yesterday
morning, the public in general has
been determining to be present at
some stage of the proceedings. Most
of those who had taken an interest in
the case decided to visit the court
room, only for the purpose OF seein &
the prisoner, but there were others
who had time to listen for hours
to the testimony. At least one hour
and half before the examination was
tocome off the courtroom was jammed
with people, and as the hour ap-
preached the stairway and hall was
SO crowded that it became impossible
without great exertion for people who
had business within to approach the
precincts OF the court. Hattie Wool
steen and her sister Minnie had been
taken to the City Hall long before the
hour of the examination and were
seated in theCity Councilroom guarded
by Chief County Jailor Russell. No
body was allowed access to them, not
even the police. At a quarter to
eleven they were ushered into the
court room. Both girls were dressed
alike, in walking suits OF pearl-grey
merino with dark velvet collars.
lapels and cuffs. They both wore
straw hats, though different in style,
and both had gloves. Miss Hattie
looked rather thin. Deep dark lines
under her eyes are reminders OF the
mental struggle and the fearful ordeal
by poison through which she has just
successfully battled her way. She
was far more composed, however,
than her sister Minnie, who appeared
nervous. Both very kindly greeted
Officer Fitch for whom they entertain
gratitude for his fatherly care of them
while cooped up in the Chief of Policies
private office, especially after Hattie
had taken the two ounces OF chloro-
form. Capt. Darcy had the Dis
trict Attorney to draw up a
second complaint charging Hattie
Woolsteen with arson, for the burning
Of the Barley barn, at Compton. The
document was ready yesterday MORN
ing, but had not been sworn to at
noon.
For the people there were present
District Attorney Depuy, Assistant
District Attorney Denis and Deputy
District Attorney Chelf. For the de-
Tense Hon. S. NJ. White and Col. g.
Wiley Wells took their seats beside
the prisoner.
THE COMPLAINT.
The complaint sworn to by Sergeant
of Police William T. Jeffries charges
that Hattie Woolsteen, on the 9th of
October, at or near Compton, COM
mitted the crime OF murder, as fol-
lows: "That she did unlawfully,
wickedly, willfully, feloniously, OF her
malice aforethought, with deliberation
and premeditation. slay, kill and
murder one c. N. Harlan, by shoot
ing him in and upon his person, body
and head, with deadly weapon, to
wit. pistol
As the clock struck II Justice Austin
asked the District Attorney whether
he was ready to so on with the case,
to which Mr.. Dupuy answered that he
expected he was, but that his wit
nessess could not get in and that many
had been turned away from the door.
The defense suggested that all wit
nesses be called in, sworn and placed
under the rule excluding them from
the courtroom until their turn to tes-
tify arrived.
After some delay the prosecution
called their Vitnesses togetherin in front
of the railing opposite the Justices
Bench. They were forty-five in num-
ber. After having been sworn they
were taken to the City Council room
and told to remain there until called
The attorneys for the defense intimated
that they would call no witnesses.
Both sides being ready to proceed
the first witness for the People was
called. This was
W.T.. LEoNARD's TESTIMONY.
VIM. F. Leonard, Justice of the
Peace of Compton. In answer to
questions by the District Attorney thi
witness said: l reside at Compton
am the Justice of the Peace of tina
place. know the house formerly oc
cupied by Mrs. Barley. 1t is situated
III miles west OF Compton on Lemon
street. On the 7th of this month, il
the absence of the Coroner, held an
inquest upon the remains OF a human
being. / found the body lyinl
among ashes in the burned
barn. 1t Ewas lying in the northeas
corner OF the barn. This barn is sit
uated from $50 to 200 yards away from
Lemon street, at the rear of the Bar
hey house. The body was lying upor
its breast, with the left arm extended
and the right one very nearly doubled
under the body. The lower limbs
were burned away. The whole body
was very much scorched. The back
part of the body and head were
burned. AS deceased laid on his face
4 portion of this remained intact Part
of the upper lip was not burned away.
1t was covered with moustache OF
sandy complexion-not red, but san
dy. No whiskers were left i; they were
burned. The teeth were not burned
up. The upper and lower jaw were
both intact.
We discovered, what we concluded,
was q bullet hole in the head, right
above the left ear. (Objected to as
witness was not giving expert testi-
mony and ruled out by the Court.)
Witness: l saw an impression above
the left ear as OF bullet. (Ruled
out) There certainly was hole
there, through the skull, about the
size of an ordinary pistol bullet. |
looked at it. The body still had some
clothing upon it. 1t was burned and
the portion that remained was on the
underside. 1t was underclothing.
The time am speaking OF is the time
of the inquest when the jurymen were
on the ground with me. The jurors
examined the body. l saw some of |
the jury find the clothing have men
toned, dice, clasp to fasten
necktie TO a shirt, some writing and
sleeve buttons. These objects were
founl near the body. These articles
were then placed in my possession.
On the following Monday morning |